This invention relates generally to golf swing training aids. There are a variety of golf aids that are designed to improve or correct a golfer's club swing. Such aids have included modified training clubs, harnesses worn by a golfer to reinforce a proper swing motion, modified club grips, and various apparatuses that confine the golf club swing arc to a predetermined path. While there are multiple examples of inventions for both gloves used for joint-angle measurements and golf-training devices embedded in gloves, the system described in this application is unique within the prior art.
For example, US20110224009, incorporated herein by reference, teaches the use of a training device to mechanically fix and/or constrain the wrist during a golf swing. A mechanical constraint approach, however, is limited in teaching joint movement as muscle memory is not developed by user induced motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,281 (B2), incorporated herein by reference, teaches the use of flex sensors to measure joint angle. Because the flexible sensors bend during the measurement, this sensor is inferior to the magnetometer as the sensor because it is subject to degradation in performance (i.e., reduced range of electrical conductivity with use) over time. Furthermore, the invention does not teach the quantification of joint angle as a function sensor response.
While a great number of techniques and apparatuses exist to improve a golfer's swing, there remains room for improvement and variation within the art.